


The Arena

by peachywrites



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Apocalypse, Blood and Gore, Character Death, Cigarettes, Death, End of the World, Eventual Romance, Friends to Lovers, Heavy Angst, Hopeful Ending, Hospitals, M/M, Minor Character Death, Pandemics, Quarantines, Sad, Seizures, Smoking, Violence, Zombie Apocalypse, exo-m ensemble - Freeform, it's not explicit tho sjfkadsjkfjsd i promise !!, xiuchen if u squint extra hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-26 00:40:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20921321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachywrites/pseuds/peachywrites
Summary: Luhan’s gaze remained piercing -- not a glimmer of hope filling the dark irises. And he delivered the words that flipped Minseok’s universe upside down.“Car or no car, this world belongs to the dead now. We’re just living in it.”aka: in which minseok and luhan fall in love during an emerging zombie pandemic





	The Arena

**Author's Note:**

> prompt #7 - trapped together during a quarantine for an emerging pandemic, luhan and minseok fall in love. 
> 
> thank you for clicking on this fic! i hope you enjoy what awaits you, and please tell me in the comments if you do! this fic is a bit heavier than my usual stuff, but nothing is explicit!! please read the warnings carefully tho, and let me know if anything isn't tagged that should be !! xoxo

**I.**

_ “Two to four feet apart at all times!” _A military guard called from his patrol on the street, waving his flashlight around. 

Minseok watched him from the doorway of the convenience store with a scowl, before closing the doors and turning the flimsy lock, silencing him. The government had been preaching the same demand for three days now, but he didn’t think it made a difference.

_ Two feet is nothing when one of those monsters is after you_, Minseok thought, grimace growing on his face as he pulled the blinds closed too, losing sight of the camouflaged soldier outside. 

The corner shop he stood in with his group seemed like a godsend at this point. It felt like years since they’d found somewhere habitable -- at least for the night -- though it’d only been hours since they had ditched their overrun apartment complex.

The electricity had been out for three days, and the panic was finally beginning to set in. The people realized whatever disaster the city was facing wasn’t as easy to fight as previously assumed, despite what the government continued to claim. 

_ It’s just the flu,_ they’d said at first. _ It’s an unknown sickness and we’re working on a cure,_ came next. _ The fatality rate is one-hundred percent._ And then silence. The lights went out, and so did everyone who contracted the fever. 

“_Hey,” _ Jongdae, Minseok’s friend, called, frown on his face. “You good? I’ve been calling your name for like five minutes.” 

Minseok turned from the door and forced a smile. “Yeah, sorry. What do you need?”

His friend’s eyes widened slightly, as if surprised that Minseok assumed he had a request, and wasn’t just checking on him. But, Minseok knew better. Jongdae had that _look _\-- the one where his cat lips turned up at the ends in a tight smile like he was hesitant to ask his favor. 

“Do you have some of the tea lights over here?” He questioned, and Minseok nodded. He handed one of the little candles he’d been planning to set by the door over, and was unsurprised when Jongdae quickly pulled out a cigarette from his jeans to light with it.

“Yixing didn’t have any?” Minseok asked, after Jongdae had succeeded in blowing a puff of smoke into the air.

Jongdae shook his head and coughed a little. “Said they’re all in your bag.”

Minseok checked. Yixing was right. There wasn’t much in Minseok’s backpack -- just whatever he had managed to grab while they were leaving their apartment complex. But, at the bottom of the back pocket was their handful of tea lights. He grabbed three more and handed them to Jongdae, sending him off to join Yixing in securing the back of the shop.

Luckily, there wasn’t much work to be done. The back entrance was rusted shut already and the windows were quickly locked up by Yixing and Jongdae.

Then, all they could do was wait. There wasn’t anywhere else to go, especially in the pitch dark. Walking out in the night was just _ asking _ to be infected.

So, the government-instructed distance rule was forgotten as the three survivors sat back-to-back, each of them locking their gaze on a different section of the building. None of them had symptoms, and they trusted each other more than whatever the government said. Everything officials had revealed so far had been a lie anyway -- why believe them now?

Yixing fell asleep first, his weight slumping onto Minseok and Jongdae. They both stiffened as his breathing slowed. Jongdae was the one to check his pulse, two shaking fingers pressing against Yixing’s neck. Symptoms or not, they had to be sure.

“He’s ok,” Jongdae whispered, and the sudden ease in the room was palpable. Minseok let out a sigh of relief, shoulders dropping. He moved to shift -- keep cover on the front door for Yixing -- but Jongdae reached for him blindly. Their hands brushed awkwardly, but Jongdae squeezed Minseok’s tightly regardless. “I got it. I can already see from here anyway.”

Minseok nodded, then looked back to the wall he’d been staring at for half an hour. He didn’t pull his hand from Jongdae’s, and neither of them questioned it. They’d been close long enough to know that it was one of the countless coping mechanisms the former used, even when his small hands grew sweaty and he lost feeling in his fingers.

Jongdae grabbed another cigarette with his free hand, but didn’t light it. He twisted it between his fingers and watched the tan and white paper chase each other as they spun. He’d always feared his addiction would kill him, but now he wished it would have earlier, just so he wouldn’t have to face the impending sickness all around him.

There was a broken rosary on the ground, and Minseok passed the time counting the scattered beads -- seven from what he could tell -- though he was sure more were hiding in the shadows or under the aisles. The stray golden cross charm reflected the light of their candles and the raised edges glimmered. Minseok couldn’t help but wonder what God would let something like this happen. 

“You can sleep if you need,” Jongdae offered after a while, even though his voice gave away how tired he was. Minseok was about to decline, but Jongdae squeezed his hand again.

He gave in with an, “_ok_,” before leaning forward slowly to let Yixing down from his back. Then, he took a spot on the floor next to the sleeping man, using his half-filled backpack as a makeshift pillow.

“If you need anyt-” Minseok started.

“I’ll wake you up, don’t worry,” Jongdae reassured him, turning his head slightly to smile. The dim light danced over his dark eyes, the flames of their candles reflecting in gold swirls.

Minseok nodded. He could trust Jongdae. 

He counted all seven beads again before he fell asleep.

**II.**

When Minseok woke up, it was to Jongdae’s frantic but hushed calls of his name, and the feeling of lithe fingers wrapped around his arms. A gasp threatened to spill from his lips, but Jongdae was quick to quiet him, one of his hands flying up to cover Minseok’s mouth. It was still dark, but the fear in Jongdae’s eyes was practically palpable. 

“_Min_,” Jongdae whispered and Minseok’s blood ran cold. Jongdae hadn’t called him that since they were kids, and those years were long behind both of them. “ _ Calm down _.” He slowly removed his palm from Minseok’s mouth, as if scared the latter would scream as a result, but Minseok stayed silent -- save for the quick pants he used to catch his breath.

Minseok gently pushed Jongdae off him, and then looked for Yixing. When he caught sight of the younger, he understood the urgency of their situation. One of the aisles had been knocked over and a herd of those _ things _ was starting to crowd against the front door of the shop. The only thing holding them back besides the flimsy lock was _ Yixing_, who had his whole body pressed against the glass.

Minseok had no time to think as he scrambled up as fast as possible and darted towards his friend. Jongdae grabbed his wrist and yanked him back. “Get the back door!” And then he ran over to the front to help Yixing himself. 

Minseok swallowed the bile gathering in his throat and grabbed his knife off the floor before skidding to the back door. He pushed into it with all his force before remembering the lock was rusted shut. He hacked at it wildly with his knife, red dust falling to the ground little by little. He slammed his shoulder into the door and managed to open it somewhat and another hit rewarded him with the sound of metal scraping against the concrete outside. One more had the cold air rushing into his face, and it felt like ice against his now tear-stained cheeks. He didn't know when he started crying, but that didn’t matter.

He turned immediately and saw Jongdae with one of their bags on each of his shoulders. He must have noticed the confusion on Minseok’s face, since his eyes widened.

_ Where’s Yixing? _

They both turned their attention just as the glass shattered, and the sound of Yixing’s screams filled the shop. The ripping of flesh rang in their ears, making Minseok gag. He could barely make out the sight of blood before Jongdae was tossing him his bag and pushing him out the door, blocking his view.

**III.**

Minseok wasn’t sure how far they’d run when he finally reached for the flashlight in the front pocket of his backpack. He stumbled over a few rocks on the sidewalk as his fingers curled against the metal and pulled it out, quickly clicking it on and lighting the street in front of him. It was only then that he noticed Jongdae wasn’t right beside him, and he whipped around.

Luckily, Jongdae was only two or three feet behind. But, he was frozen in place. When Minseok turned the light to Jongdae’s face, he finally noticed the tears in the latter's eyes. Jongdae’s pupils shrunk from the light, but the gathering liquid made them look glossy and huge.

“Jongdae, _ what _are you doing?” Minseok hissed.

A few tears streaked down Jongdae’s cheek, across the small mole Minseok always liked. 

“I-It got me,” Jongdae choked out, and then repeated the words like he couldn’t believe them. “One of them b-bit me.”

And, to prove it, Jongdae rolled up his sleeve, and all Minseok could see was red. Everything else was barely visible. There was just _ blood_, and a lot of it. How Jongdae hadn’t been screaming in pain, he didn’t know. The shock must have been too strong.

Jongdae gulped. “The door got unlocked from them all crowding around it, and I was fixing it. Yixing was too scared. B-but one of them got me before I could close it all the way.”

He kept talking -- repeating the same things just with different words. But Minseok could only hear muffled, garbled chatter. He could only see the black veins under Jongdae’s tan skin -- the infection spreading into his body.

He knew what he had to do.

There was only one way to stop Jongdae from coming back -- from attacking Minseok and turning him too.

Minseok pulled the gun from his bag, and bit back the tears as Jongdae begged. He took a couple steps back. 

_ Two to four feet_. He repeated the government orders in his head. _ Do not come into contact with any bodily fluids, especially blood. Destroy the brain. _

“I have to save you, Jongdae,” he said, as calmly as possible, and then decided those words couldn’t be his last. Jongdae deserved better. He always had.

_ “I love you."_

The heavy scent of iron filled the air and red streaked the concrete underneath them. It was unlike anything Minseok had ever seen -- even in the three days of Hell he’d experienced. There was still a sense of _ life_, still warmth visible in Jongdae’s tan skin -- still a shine to his dark hair. It was so _ fresh_, and it made Minseok sick.

He felt stuck in time -- felt like it was years he stared at Jongdae’s limp form against the sidewalk. But it was only seconds before his animalistic survival instincts kicked in, and he was scrambling towards the lifeless body and grabbing Jongdae’s bag.

When he started running again, he had a backpack on each shoulder, a gun in his waistband, and a knife in hand.

**IV.**

It was still pitch black when Minseok scoured the streets.

Luckily, from what he could tell, there weren’t any infected around. It was too dark to be sure, though, so he held his knife tight and kept running. The sick were fast, but Minseok hoped he was faster. 

He didn’t stop at any big shops he passed, knowing they were well past looted by then. He had been lucky to find the corner shop when he did. Still, it provided little, as the half-filled backpacks on his shoulders proved. He didn’t know what Jongdae grabbed, and Yixing’s supplies were left behind, so Minseok wasn’t quite sure what he was carrying. But he knew he needed to conserve space, and lugging around two bags wasn’t helping his cause.

When he got to an abandoned street, he stopped to catch his breath. A quick search provided an area to stop -- the gap between two buildings. There was a wall at the back end, so nothing could sneak up on him, and the alleyway was empty save for some trash bags. Minseok squeezed into the space and pulled the bags off his back. He ripped his open first and grabbed his water bottle, easily downing half the liquid in just a few seconds. When his lungs stopped burning and he could finally breathe again, Minseok unzipped Jongdae’s bag, hoping that it was him and not Yixing carrying the useful things.

_ What a horrible thing to think_, he scolded himself. _ Your friends are dead and all you can think about are the supplies they died for_.

There were a few cigarette packs on the top in Jongdae’s bag, of course, but otherwise, it looked like Minseok got lucky. There were snacks, bottles of water, and a few bandaid boxes. He let out a sigh of relief, and emptied the contents of his bag into Jongdae’s. There wasn’t enough space without taking something out, so Minseok grabbed the cigarettes and tossed them towards the trash bags a few feet away. They didn’t matter to him as much as they did to Jongdae, and they would only serve to remind him of what happened.

Except, when Minseok heard some rustling, he immediately regretted throwing them so carelessly. He tossed the pack over his shoulder in record time, shining the flashlight down the alleyway quickly after. A hand reached out between two of the trash bags, and Minseok stopped in place. A flash of humanity washed over him, and he _ almost _ wanted to reach out to help, but the gurgly growl that followed the movement assured him that whatever was reaching for him was far from human.

He immediately stumbled back, just as the trash bags fell in an avalanche of black plastic, and one of the infected stared him straight in the eyes. It was after him the minute it stood and Minseok didn’t dare look back as he ran from the alleyway. He could hear the rapid footsteps behind him and the groaning and snarling echoing on the empty street as the creature attempted to keep up with him.

And then, another sound filled his ears. It was a car, but there weren’t any headlights visible, and the area seemed empty otherwise. But, the rumbling continued, and Minseok was sure he’d gone mad until he heard the tires squeal as a sleek car pulled up on the street beside him. 

The window rolled down before Minseok could even blink, and a disheveled blond boy looked at him in shock. “Jesus!” he all but screamed, and unlocked the doors with a click. “Get in!” 

Minseok didn’t have time to think or rationalize his decision like usual before he swung the back door open and jumped inside. He slammed the door shut with more force than necessary and the car took off, leaving the undead monster stumbling behind them.

Minseok collapsed into the backseat, panting heavily as he caught his breath. He’d barely taken an inhale and a half before a bombard of questions filled his ears.

“Are you infected?” the driver asked, not taking his eyes off the road as he quickly navigated the roads. The headlights weren’t on, but the boy didn’t hesitate to speed up as he drove. “C’mon, are you hurt or scratched? Did that thing bite you?”

Minseok shook his head, then cleared his throat when he realized the boy couldn’t see him. “N-No, it didn’t touch me.” He quickly held his arms out for his own benefit, turning them to show his clear skin, free of infection.

The passenger, who Minseok finally noticed, chuckled -- an awkwardly childish sound compared to his tough-looking exterior. “It’s ok, we believe you.”

Minseok’s brows furrowed.

“Why?” the driver asked, voicing Minseok’s thoughts before he could even speak.

The passenger scoffed. “If he were infected he’d be dead or on his way to the hospital, like all the other dumbasses who think there’s a cure already.” He looked back at Minseok. “Unless you were just on your way there?”

Minseok shook his head fervently. “N-no, just trying to find somewhere. Anywhere. Maybe, another town or something.” He’d cross states if he had to at this point.

The driver looked up to the rearview mirror, soft brown eyes meeting Minseok’s. “You know this thing is worldwide, right?”

Minseok felt the lump in his throat grow. Whatever hope he had left crumbled away. 

“Luhan,” the passenger said, “turn left here.” Minseok leaned forward in his seat and saw the passenger holding a map.

“Wait… Where are you guys going then?”

Luhan, the driver, responded first. “Yifan knows a guy whose dad works in the government. They’ve got a whole quarantine set up at the sports arena downtown.”

The passenger, Yifan, nodded. “If anywhere is safe, it’ll be there.”

Minseok could feel the hope refill his body. Though he couldn’t shake the anger he felt towards the hidden information. _ If only Yixing and Jongdae had known. Maybe we could have made it before they… _

“Yeah, if we can get there,” Luhan grunted, catching Minseok’s gaze in the rearview mirror again. He had soft features, but they seemed to be hiding something. It made Minseok wonder if getting in the car had been a good idea after all. _ He surely could have outrun the infected from before, right? _

He kept staring at Luhan. “I mean, you have a _ car_. That’s gotta count for something, right?” From what he knew, they’d all been looted for gas or driven by scavengers and families trying to escape.

Luhan’s gaze remained piercing -- not a glimmer of hope filling the dark irises. And he delivered the words that flipped Minseok’s universe upside down. 

“Car or not, this world belongs to the dead now. We’re just living in it.”

**V.**

When the sun started to come up, Luhan begrudgingly switched spots with Yifan.

“Dude, you haven’t slept for like 36 hours. I’ll be fine to drive. I promise,” Yifan assured him, as he slid into the driver’s seat. Luhan grumbled, but Minseok saw the relief in his eyes, as he relaxed into his new seat. It was nice, seeing him without a frown, even for just a passing moment. He looked cute.

“So,” Minseok began, “can you trust this guy who told you about the arena?”

“Zitao?” Yifan chuckled, and nodded, his shoulder-length black hair flopping into his face. “Yeah, we can trust him.” 

“He’s a scaredy-cat,” Luhan spoke up, a smirk on his face. “If he’s survived the last three days, he must be somewhere safe. We haven’t heard from him, though, obviously. We just have to hope the place hasn’t been overrun since then.”

Minseok gulped. “Yeah… I hope so.”

Yifan drove more carelessly than Luhan, if that were possible, weaving around the roadblocks and broken down cars without more than a glance. Minseok was glad to see Luhan napping in the front seat after a few minutes, but he also didn’t want to die during the end of the world from a _ car crash_, so he held tight on his seatbelt. 

He was surprised Luhan didn’t respond at all to the harsh movements, and presumed he was used to his friend’s driving habits by now. All Luhan did was snore, and grumble a few times in his sleep, shuffling as he tried to find a comfortable position.

“I swear, he’s the worst sleeper,” Yifan filled the silence. “A couple years ago, he used to _ scream _ in his sleep. It made sharing an apartment with him absolute hell.”

“You two lived together?” Minseok asked.

“Yep. Two years. Lu has some of the weirdest habits and secrets, I swear.”

That piqued Minseok’s curiosity. Luhan had been quiet all night, but Minseok wanted to know more about him. He _ was _ putting his life in the hands of both guys, so he thought he deserved to know who he was dealing with. “Like what?”

Yifan thought for a moment, before laughing. He tried to stifle the sound and then quieted his voice when Luhan shuffled. “When we were looking for a place, we had to skip like four different buildings because they didn’t have an apartment on the first or second floor. Luhan _ hates _ heights, so he refused to be any higher. Luckily, by the fifth building, he was able to convince the landlord to give us a second-floor room. I swear, that baby face of his, he thinks he can be as childish as he wants sometimes.”

“His face is _ cute _ though,” Minseok argued, and then turned bright red as he realized what he said.

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” Yifan joked. “You’ll never hear the end of it, and he’s finally warming up to you.”

“He is?”

Yifan stared at Minseok through the rearview mirror like he had two heads. “You can’t tell?” Minseok shook his head. “Well, I can.”

“I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t. We _ did _ just meet,” Minseok responded.

Yifan shrugged, his opinion unwavering. “With everything that’s happened, a night together means a lot more than before.”

Minseok assumed he was right. He’d never even been able to talk to strangers before, let alone trust them with his life on a whim. 

They talked a bit more, before Luhan woke up, hair splayed in every direction and eyes puffy. He seemed groggy, so Minseok quickly reached for his bag, grabbed a water bottle, and then thrust it in Luhan’s direction.

“It’s new,” Minseok provided after a second, noticing the hesitation on the blond’s face.

Luhan said nothing, but sent Minseok a tired smile in thanks.

“You two seem happy,” Luhan poked at them a minute later, after he’d woken up some.

Minseok thought about mentioning the conversation with Yifan, but decided against it. “Yeah, I was just enjoying Yifan’s reckless driving.”

Yifan pouted from the front seat, faking betrayal. “Luhan isn’t any better.”

“Yes, he is.”

“Yes, I am.”

Minseok and Luhan looked at each other, and the former grinned when the latter’s face turned pink.

“Whatever,” Luhan brushed it off a moment later, sinking back into his seat with a sigh. “Just keep driving.”

**VI.**

The summer sun set on their second night of driving. The arena was only an hour or two away, but the infected crowded the main streets, and cars littered the roads. It wasn’t an easy task, and it was time-consuming. Everything had to be done perfectly to ensure their safety.

Yifan thankfully knew the area well, and Luhan navigated it better than they could have ever asked. But, when a storm started, even his driving wasn’t going to keep them safe. He could barely see through the rain on the windshield, he still couldn’t turn on his headlights, and the harsh wind was practically running the car off the narrow road.

“Maybe we should stop,” Minseok said nervously, watching as the rain streaked the windows and blurred the last view the dusk provided.

“And waste more time?” Luhan questioned, determination still present in his tone as he stepped on the gas. “No way.”

“Minseok is right,” Yifan defended. “We’ll crash in this weather.”

And, if on cue, the car started bumping more than before. It was like they were driving on uneven garden stones, not smooth, black asphalt. Immediately after, Luhan noticed a change in his steering, the car favoring one side and slowly losing the ability to accelerate.

“Fuck,” he cursed, easing the car to the side of the road. “I think we got a flat tire.”

“I have a spare in the back,” Yifan reassured. “But you’re not changing it in this weather. We need to stop and sleep.”

After a couple minutes of bickering, Luhan finally relented. Minseok was small enough that both Yifan and Luhan could lean their chairs back to sleep while he laid across the backseat. It wasn’t the most comfortable, for any of them, but Minseok preferred the feeling over the thumping on the road from before.

“I’ll take first shift up,” Luhan offered, but Minseok quickly shook his head.

“No, you’ve been driving. I slept a little already, I’ll do it.”

Yifan was already knocked out, and Luhan smiled at the sight. “I guess I’ll go second then. You’ll wake me up if you need?”

“Of course.”

“Well, thank you, Minseok.”

“Sweet dreams, Luhan.”

Luhan fell asleep to the sound of rain against the window, and the rumble of wind.

Minseok truly wasn’t tired, not yet at least, so he didn’t mind staying up. He grabbed a water from his bag, and sipped it as he watched the road in front of them -- occasionally looking behind him to make sure nothing snuck up on them.

Yifan snored, and Minseok chuckled. _ What a hypocrite_.

He went to set the water back, since they were quickly running out, when his hands brushed across a thin paper. His brows furrowed, and he pulled the item out, a lump growing in his throat when he remembered what it was.

A picture of Jongdae and himself smiling together stared back at him. The edges of the photo were crinkled from being stuffed in the bag, but the rest was clean and crisp like it’d just been a couple days ago -- when Minseok first pulled it from the frame.

Their apartment had gone down quickly after the virus spread. Kids who contracted it from school passed it onto the elderly whose bodies couldn’t fight it. Soon enough, growling and scratching could be heard from a few locked apartment doors, and whoever was left standing evacuated while they still could. Waiting for the sickness to pass was no longer an option.

Jongdae had grabbed Minseok and practically dragged him out of the house with their few belongings, and they met up with Yixing outside -- using his car to drive around the city until it ran out of gas. 

“_I know you love it here. I do too, I promise. But, it’s not safe_,” _ Jongdae said. _

_ Minseok brushed away the tears streaking down his cheek. “But it’s home.” They’d always been safe there, been safe together. How could they give that up now? _

_ Jongdae couldn’t hide the pain on his face. “I’m sorry. We have to. Yixing is already waiting outside.” He pulled the other man, and Minseok only stopped him when they reached the door, looking over to the table by the entrance. _

_ Minseok silently grabbed the frame with their picture in it. It was them on the first day they had moved in, both sporting confident and excited grins at the prospect of a fresh start. He undid the metal tabs holding the backing on, and slipped out the picture, holding it like it meant everything in the world to him. And somehow, it did. _

_ “I don’t want to lose this. Ever. If-- when we come back, I’ll put it back. Just for now, I have to know it’s safe.” _

_ Jongdae didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. They both knew they’d never be back there, even if they couldn’t admit it to themselves. _

_ He led Minseok out the door without a second glance. _

Minseok recalled the memory, and let the heartache fill his chest and veins. He had no time to grieve, and frankly, he had been trying to avoid it. But, seeing Jongdae so _ happy_, it hurt more than anything he’d ever experienced. 

He bit his lip to stifle a sob as he held the photo to his chest, rocking back and forth as he tried to self-soothe. But, it did little to help. He felt absolutely broken. He’d lost his _ best friend_. There would never be any recovery, and if there were, Minseok assumed it’d never be enough to heal the ache he felt at that moment. The cold car only existed to remind him how alone he was, and how eventually he’d end up like Jongdae or Minseok -- just another casualty count.

“Minseok.” Luhan’s groggy voice filled the car, and Minseok jumped. He quickly dabbed his tears and then hummed in response. “Are you ok?”

“Y-yeah. Sorry, I woke you up.”

“No, no, don’t worry. I can take over if you need?”

Minseok _ knew _ Luhan needed sleep more than him, but he couldn’t bear to stay awake any longer. Doing so only allowed his brain to keep replaying the view of Jongdae on the sidewalk over and over again. He was hardly keeping watch at this point.

“Would you mind? I… I’m getting kind of tired,” Minseok lied, clearing his throat.

Luhan seemed to see past the facade, but said nothing about it. “I don’t mind. Really.”

Minseok pushed away the guilt he felt for taking Luhan up on his offer, and murmured his thanks before curling up in the backseat. He used his bag as a pillow, like he’d done every time he slept, but didn’t return the photo.

He held it close to his chest and breathed deeply, imagining he was smelling the sweet scent of Jongdae’s shampoo.

**VII.**

An incessant pounding on the window woke Minseok up. In the back of his mind, he registered the danger that sound could mean, but in his half-awake state, he brushed it off as the rain. It wasn’t until he heard a growl that his eyes shot open as he sprang up, holding back a scream when he saw the sight in front of him. 

One of the infected was clawing at Yifan’s window, while he sat there asleep, none the wiser. It was unfazed by the storm, the rain running off its rotting skin as it mouthed and scratched the glass.

_ “Oh my god, oh god -- Luhan?” _ Minseok immediately looked to the front seat, assuming the boy had fallen asleep, but he wasn’t there. Minseok’s blood ran cold and he reached into his backpack, grabbing his gun. He hadn’t touched it since after Jongdae, but this was a situation that called for it.

He all but jumped out of his skin when another tapping started, from behind him. Minseok prepared himself for the worst when he whirled around, but he just saw Luhan’s panicked face. Immediately, the blond held his finger to his lips.

Minseok looked back to Yifan. Still asleep. 

He took a deep breath and grabbed the handle of his door, easing it open as quietly as possible. The infected hadn’t noticed him yet, and he was hoping to keep it that way.

But, the wind blew his door shut once he got out, and the monster’s head turned towards the sound. All of its attention moved to Minseok, and then to Luhan.

Luhan cussed, but the infected had already circled the car and jumped on top of him by the time Minseok scrambled over.

Luhan was _ screaming _, holding the monster up and back with only his hands, while Minseok tried to get a clear shot. The thunder and wind and yelling made Minseok’s head spin, but he tried his best to focus, and not hit Luhan’s hands.

_ “Minseok! Please!” _

Minseok could hear Jongdae’s voice in Luhan’s pleas.

He pulled the trigger, and Luhan grunted as the weight of the dead landed on him. Luckily, the commotion had woken up Yifan, who was out of the car and tugging the infected off him within a second. He quickly went to pull his friend into a hug. He only stopped when he noticed the blood smeared across Luhan’s chest. His face paled.

“It didn’t… Right?”

“No, no.” Luhan took a deep breath, hands shaking as they held Yifan’s shoulders. “It was just from the gunshot, it’s not mine.”

“You need to get washed off,” Minseok said anxiously, immediately running back to the car and grabbing a bottle of water. He couldn’t stand to look at the red staining Luhan’s skin any longer. He came back and untwisted the cap, immediately pouring it over Luhan’s arms and letting the now pink water run onto the road.

“Minseok--,” Luhan grabbed his hand, but Minseok just pulled from his grasp and tried to continue. “Minseok!” He finally looked up, and Luhan sent him a comforting smile. “It’s ok. Don’t waste the water. I’ll just use the rain.”

Minseok blinked. _ How had he forgotten it was raining? _

He put the bottle back, and then stood on the side of the car while Luhan washed off, even though the latter claimed he was _fine _alone. Minseok wasn’t taking any chances leaving him unattended again.

“Hey,” Luhan called, sounded a bit embarrassed. “D-do you happen to have a spare shirt? Mine is kind of… bloody.”

Minseok paled, but immediately grabbed his bag, and thanked his lucky stars he had a t-shirt on hand. He passed it blindly to Luhan who thanked him, most likely with a blush burning his cheeks.

They got back in the car without another word.

“That looks new,” Yifan teased, trying to calm the mood as they all got resituated. Yifan was taking his turn driving, even though Luhan said he was perfectly fine doing so. 

_ “You almost just died because you thought changing a tire in the middle of the night was a good idea. Forget what I said about your driving skills, before,” Minseok had responded, and they all got a good laugh out of that. _

“It’s small,” Luhan complained, tugging on the tight sleeves. “Minseok is small.” He attempted to seem annoyed, but they both saw the smile on his face. 

“Oh shush, you look cute,” Minseok laughed.

Yifan and Luhan went silent. And, then, Luhan scowled.

“I am _ not _ cute.”

“Told you,” Yifan whispered, to Minseok, before starting up the car.

“_See _\-- wait, what?” Luhan turned to look at Yifan, pushing his shoulder. “What did you tell Minseok?”

“Nothing!” Minseok and Yifan said simultaneously, evil smirks spreading across their faces.

Luhan didn’t stop pestering them the whole drive.

**VIII.**

They made it to the arena later that day. It was heavily secured, and there weren’t _ any _ dead around, at all. It looked completely untouched.

Yifan drove around to the area Zitao told him to meet at before, and they waited a few moments until a tall man walked out, immediately grinning when he saw their car. Luhan and Yifan got out, and Minseok followed, realizing it was who’d they’d been waiting for.

“Took you long enough! You know, they almost _ shot _ you when they saw you drive up. You’re lucky I stopped them in time,” Zitao whined, pulling Yifan into a bear hug. “I thought you two died.”

“Almost,” Yifan tried to joke, but none of them found it too funny. “And hey --_ two to four feet._”

Zitao rolled his eyes, letting Yifan from his grasp before grabbing Luhan. The latter winced as Zitao hugged him, and they all stiffened at the sound, looking at Luhan.

“Are you ok?” Zitao asked, pulling away and looking him up and down.

“I’m fine, calm down,” Luhan brushed off his concern. “I slept weird last night, pulled a muscle or something.”

“You _ do _ sleep funny,” Minseok teased, and Zitao looked up, as if just noticing them. His sharp, dark eyes glimmered with interest.

“And _ who _ is this?"

“Minseok,” Luhan provided, before Minseok could even speak. “I saved his life.”

“And I saved yours.” 

Zitao didn’t hesitate or even blink before running over and pulling Minseok into his arms. “Thank you! Luhan can be quite the damsel sometimes, even though he doesn’t like to admit it.”

“More like dumbass,” Minseok whispered, and grinned at the bubbly giggle Zitao returned.

Zitao led them to the back door after a few minutes, explaining the outline of the arena, and what the government had done to secure it. The three survivors stared in awe. Everything was so clean, so many healthy living people walking around as they roamed the halls.

But, they all noticed the glances that followed their every move.

“You should probably stop by the locker room first, and get a shower. It took a lot of convincing for me to get you guys in, so you’ve gotta fit in. And, no offense, you look a little like…”

“We just survived the apocalypse?” Luhan asked.

“Exactly.”

“Wait, you guys have _ running water?” _ Minseok gasped.

“_Hot running water_,” Zitao corrected with a smile. “I’ll lead you there, and then grab some spare clothes for you all.”

Minseok nodded eagerly, impatient to wash all the sweat and grime off his body.

_ Maybe_, he thought, when the stream of warm water ran through his hair, _ we’ll survive this after all_.

**IX.**

Luhan was last out of the shower. Yifan had wandered off to find Zitao, and Minseok offered to wait.

Luhan walked out, hair still dripping across his forehead, plain white shirt clinging to his damp chest. Two pairs of eyes widened as they stared at each other.

“I-I was just waiting. Yifan went to find Zitao,” Minseok explained and Luhan shook his head with a laugh.

“Course’, he did."

“Are they close?” Minseok asked, walking over to Luhan and grabbing the towel slung over his shoulder.

Luhan hummed in response. “Very much so.” He raised one eyebrow as he watched Minseok’s actions, but said nothing more.

“You’ll catch a cold like this,” was all Minseok said, before he put the towel on Luhan’s head, attempting to dry the rest of his hair. Neither of them spoke while Minseok patted and rubbed the towel, frizzing up Luhan’s blond hair until little waves formed.

When he was content, Minseok pulled away, and locked eyes with Luhan. They both stared for a moment, and then Luhan smiled. He had little lines around his nose, and a scar on his lip, and Minseok took them both in as he searched Luhan’s face. It wasn’t until he noticed that Luhan was doing the same did he stumble backward, hoping his blush wasn’t too noticeable.

Luhan just smirked.

“We--we should go find Yifan and Zitao,” Minseok said, clearing his throat and returning the towel.

“Lead the way.”

It wasn’t hard to find the two amongst the rest of the people, since they were too tall for their own good. Not to mention, everyone around had on suits and other professional attire. They seemed almost unfazed by the recent events, and just looked like they were on their way to work without another care in the world. 

Zitao and Yifan were at the food court, and Minseok’s stomach growled at the thought alone. He’d eaten nothing but convenience store snacks for days, and he doubted the arena had much better, but he would take anything.

“How were your showers?” Zitao asked when they walked up, holding a couple small bags in his hands.

“Great, thank you.” Minseok smiled.

Zitao just nodded, then handed both of them a pack. “MRE’s -- courtesy of the military.”

He led them to a table, and brought over some hot water so they could heat everything up. It only took a couple of minutes, and despite their unappetizing look, Minseok had never been so excited to see dried egg noodles. 

They tasted fine -- a bit salty, but Yifan explained they were meant to be -- for nutritional purposes.

Luhan was picky though, grimacing as he ate -- though he finished almost his whole pack. When he was done, he silently passed the small candy he didn’t eat to Minseok. 

Their hands brushed and Minseok took the sweet with a smile, trying to ignore the rush he got from the small touch.

“So,” Zitao started. “You’ve gotta tell me everything about getting here.”

Luhan groaned, Yifan chuckled, and Minseok sighed. 

“C’mon!” Zitao whined, leaning his head on his palms as he rested his elbows on the table. “I’ve been _ dying _ to ask.”

“I’m sure,” Luhan joked. “And we’ve been dying, _ literally_.”

Minseok pushed him playfully, feeling his heart-rate increase when Luhan laughed. “Fine, fine!”

Luhan told most of the story, Yifan and Minseok joining in if he forgot something. He was good at explaining though, and Minseok listened intently, as if they were just friends at lunch, and Luhan was telling them all about a movie he’d seen the day before. 

He just pretended _Minseok _was a character he shared a name with. 

Luhan glossed over the _ incident_, but Yifan and Minseok didn’t say anything. They didn’t mention washing Luhan off or the pain on Yifan’s face when he asked Luhan if he was hurt. That didn’t matter anymore. They were safe. 

_ Luhan had to have been wrong before_, Minseok thought, at one point. _ This can’t be worldwide. Even if it is, clearly, the government is doing something. This will all be over soon. We just have to wait. _

They laughed about Minseok calling Luhan cute, and Zitao butted in, “I _ thought _ that shirt looked small on you!”

Luhan went bright red as the rest giggled like little kids.

“Yeah, yeah, very funny.” But he was grinning too. “All this _ laughing _ has really worn me out. Where are we staying, Tao?”

“Oh, I’ll show you. There are only two more rooms, one of which is technically mine, so we’ll be sharing. Yifan, you’ll stay with me.”

“What-”

Zitao bumped the taller, shutting him up. Then, he winked at Minseok. “Luhan, I’ll take you to where you and Minseok will stay, ok?”

“Ok.” Luhan walked over to the hallway and Zitao lingered for just a moment until he was out of earshot.

“He _ really _ likes you, Minseok.” Zitao grinned. “And if your expression is any indication -- _you’re welcome for the bedroom arrangements_.” 

Minseok just stared wide-eyed as Zitao strutted away, catching up to Luhan before they disappeared down a corridor.

**X.**

Zitao returned a little while later. They all talked a bit more, before Minseok decided to turn in too. Feeling full and warm had made him more tired than he would have thought, and he couldn’t deny that he wanted to check on Luhan too.

Zitao led him to the back of the building, where an office used to be. Luhan was inside, fast asleep on a mattress on the floor. His blond hair swirled on the pillow underneath him, and Minseok quickly snuck in, whispering goodbye to Zitao as he sat on the mattress across from Luhan’s.

As the door closed, the room grew dark, and Minseok felt his eyelids immediately grow heavy. The sound of Luhan’s breathing was the only thing audible in the room besides Minseok’s shuffling form as he grabbed the blanket at the end of the mat and pulled it over himself. 

He was seconds away from falling asleep when Luhan started coughing. Immediately, Minseok stiffened. He reached for his bag that Zitao had graciously brought in, and quietly grabbed his flashlight. He prayed to whatever was listening as he clicked the light on, and turned it to Luhan.

Black mucus covered the pillow by Luhan’s mouth. It stained his lips and Minseok watched as it started to drain from his nose.

“_No, please_,” he whispered into the air, and squeezed his eyes shut tight, hoping he was just living in a too real nightmare. But, when he opened his eyes, Luhan’s infection remained.

Minseok stood on shaky legs, searched for the light of the room, and turned it on.

Luhan gagged and awoke as the tar-like liquid filled his mouth. He sat up and coughed, and it sprayed across his blanket -- red dots mixed in with the stains. Immediately, he looked up, panicked, and Minseok’s eyes widened as he took in Luhan’s bloodshot gaze.

“J-just stare there, ok? I-I’m gonna grab Zitao. You’re gonna be fine,” Minseok stammered and Luhan just stared at him, panic swimming in his eyes. Minseok backed up into the door and then swung it open, running before he could say anything else. He couldn’t look at Luhan’s scared expression for a second longer.

He started crying as he ran, vision blurring as he stumbled down the hall. His chest heaved and he pushed past every person he saw, calling out for Zitao and Yifan as he pounded on every door he came across.

“Please! Zitao! Yifan! Help!” He cried, and wailed, palms slamming against wood and wall until a door finally opened.

Zitao stood there, eyes wide. He grabbed Minseok without a word, stabilizing him. “What-”

“Luhan. He’s sick.”

**XI.**

“Minseok?”

His vision was blurred with tears, and he could barely hear past his own thoughts. _ Luhan. Luhan is sick. Luhan is going to die_.

“Minseok?”

_ You’ve lost another one. You’re going to be all alone._

“Minseok!”

He blinked rapidly, taking in Yifan’s concerned expression. “What?”

“I just need you to put this mask on, ok? And then I can take you to him.”

Minseok grabbed the thin mask and slipped it over his head. When it was situated over his mouth comfortably, he looked expectantly at Yifan.

“Zitao explained the situation to the doctor they have here. He’s a transfer from the CDC, and they said there might actually be a cure. He’s gonna be fine, ok?” Yifan explained, as they walked down a few hallways. “They’ve got him quarantined inside another office, but this one has a window, so we can see and talk to him.”

Minseok just nodded blankly.

Luhan was lying on a stretcher type bed inside the room when they finally got there. He was drugged beyond belief, and his shirt had ridden up, exposing the scratch that he hadn’t thought to mention before. A bandage covered it, but it proved no use. The veins across his chest and neck were already black under his skin, and when Minseok blinked, he could only remember Jongdae’s infected arm.

“Why-,” Minseok started, but his voice cracked. “Why didn’t he say anything?”

“He probably thought it was nothing. They’ve only been talking about bites, so I guess he thought it would go away when he didn’t immediately show symptoms.”

_ You stupid, stupid man_. 

“I’m gonna go ask Zitao what the plan is,” was all Yifan finished with before he left. Minseok pretended not to hear him sob once he got a few feet away. 

_ Think of Yifan_, his brain reminded him. _ He’s losing his best friend. His Jongdae_.

Minseok told himself to apologize to Yifan when he got back. He needed comfort the most. 

While he waited, though, Minseok watched Luhan. The CDC doctor paced around the small office, hazmat suit rustling as he worked on getting Luhan’s blood. He walked over to a microscope a few minutes later, but Minseok didn’t pay much attention past that. The doctor didn’t say anything, he just focused on his work, and left the room quickly after.

Luhan shuffled onto his side, and caught sight of Minseok through the window. He seemed shocked for a moment, before he smiled tiredly. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Minseok responded, voice weak. Luhan’s smile was still so pretty, even with the black staining his lips.

“Are you ok?”

“I should be asking you that,” Minseok reminded him, before nodding. “But, I’m fine.”

Luhan made a pleased sound. “Good, I was worried.”

Minseok itched to scold him. _ You shouldn’t be worried about me. You’re dying_.

“I gotta say, these pills are strong,” Luhan joked, laughed, and then coughed. Black dripped down his chin, before he wiped it away. “I feel like I’m going to say something without thinking.”

“Like?”

Luhan thought for a moment. “Like, how I was hoping we could spend another dinner together after today, but alone.”

Minseok gulped, and held back his tears. “Like, a date?”

Luhan weakly nodded, blond hair matted to his forehead. “Like a date. It’s stupid, I know.”

Minseok shook his head quickly, pressing against the window. “No, it’s not. I would have -- I do like that. We can still do it, once you’re cured.”

Luhan stared at him, and his eyes glimmered with unshed tears. It wasn’t much in the grand scheme of things, but Minseok’s optimism meant more than he could ever explain. “Yeah, we can.” He coughed again, and Minseok flinched at the harsh sound. “As long as you’re ok with dried egg noodles in a bag?”

“Of course,” Minseok laughed, and then cried, quickly brushing away the tears that streamed down his cheeks. “I’ll be alright with anything. As long as it’s with you.”

“That’s a plan then,” Luhan smiled, eyes fluttering as his pain meds kicked in more. He was going to fall asleep any minute. “Don’t you forget.”

Minseok watched Luhan’s breathing slow. He made sure to respond while the other could still hear him. “Never.”

**XII.**

Luhan deteriorated quickly. Despite what the doctor said -- claiming a cure was on its way, that Luhan was fine and doing well compared to others he’d examined -- Minseok knew better. He was the only watching Luhan every second of every minute of every hour. Yifan tried, he did, but he couldn’t bear to watch his friend die. It was too hard. 

Minseok didn’t blame him. He couldn’t watch it happen to Jongdae, which is why he did what he did. He didn’t know what made Luhan different, though. Maybe Minseok was used to it by now. Or maybe it was because the situation was different. He honestly couldn’t explain it.

“What are you thinking about?” Luhan asked, when he woke up and caught Minseok in a daze.

“You.” He didn’t bother lying.

Luhan chuckled. His meds were starting to wear off, but he enjoyed talking to Minseok without feeling like he was about to fall asleep, so he didn’t mention it. “All good things, I hope?”

“Only the best.”

“I was thinking too,” Luhan said, turning on his side to face Minseok like he’d been doing every time they talked. “About you.”

“All bad things, I hope?”

Luhan laughed, and Minseok loved the sound. He hated the gurgly cough that followed. “No, no.”

“Then what?”

“Mainly about your smile. It’s beautiful, you know?”

Minseok blushed and leaned back from the window, trying to hide the small upturn that twitched at the corner of his lips. “That’s your meds talking.”

“Well, they tell nothing but the truth. You should be thanking them.”

Minseok shook his head, chuckling. “You’re crazy.”

“Only for you, baby,” Luhan teased.

Minseok looked up, shocked. But, Luhan was unfazed. He just grinned, and for a second, Minseok could take in the moment like any other -- like there wasn’t a wall separating them, like they’d been on countless dinner dates together, and like Luhan wasn’t _ dying_.

“I love you,” he said, before he could stop himself. 

Luhan’s smile tightened as he held back his pained expression. He blinked away his tears.

“You can’t say that, not yet. Not until I’m out of here.”

Minseok didn’t repeat the words, not until Luhan was asleep again after his next pain med dose and he whispered them in the air before running off to find Zitao.

“I need a favor,” was the first thing he said when he ran into the man, and Zitao nodded immediately. He pulled Minseok aside, and told him he’d do anything he could.

“You know the hazmat suit the doctor is using?” Minseok asked, and Zitao thought for a minute before humming. “I need you to steal one for me, please.”

Zitao’s eyes widened as he realized what Minseok was asking. “Are you sure? You know what you’re doing, what you’re risking?”

“Please, Zitao. I need this. He needs this.”

“Then, I’ll have one for you. Tonight.”

**XIII.**

Luhan was barely responsive by the time Zitao came by. Yifan had already stopped by and said his goodbyes, while Luhan could still repeat them back.

_ “I don’t want you seeing this,” Luhan said. “It’s not right.” _

_ “I can’t leave you,” Yifan cried. “Not like this.” _

_ “You’re not, I promise. Just, please, it’s all I’m asking.” _

Zitao held the suit in his hands, and passed it to an anxious Minseok. “I’m sorry, I had to make sure Yifan was alright. He locked himself in our room after saying goodbye.”

Minseok nodded. He understood. He took the suit, and hugged Zitao before pulling it on and zipping it tight. 

“Tell him I love him, ok?” Zitao asked, immediately crying into Minseok’s plastic-covered shoulder after he said the words. He had told Minseok he couldn’t stand the sight, but Minseok could. Minseok would carry out all their wishes in Luhan’s last minutes -- he had to.

“I will.”

“I’ll go distract the doctor then. Stay safe, ok?”

Minseok nodded, and Zitao left without another word.

_ Well, this is it_.

Luhan was half awake when Minseok unlocked his door and went in. Immediately, his eyes widened and he coughed as he tried to scramble up the bed, away from Minseok.

“Y-you can’t, you’ll get sick.”

Minseok didn’t say anything, he just kept walking, until Luhan realized he wasn’t giving up. And, then, Luhan used the last of his strength to sit up, and grabbed Minseok, holding him close.

“I love you,” he cried, as his bloody hands gripped the plastic covering Minseok’s chest. “Fuck, you are insane, but I love you.”

“I love you too. God, I love you,” Minseok sobbed, and tried desperately to grab as much of Luhan as he could, while he still had the chance. _ “I love you, I love you, I love you.” _

Luhan seized a minute later, and Minseok had to pull him onto the ground before he fell. He cradled his thrashing head, and wiped the black blood and foam from Luhan’s lips as he choked.

“_It’s ok, you’re ok. I’m here. I’m here_. _ I love you. Yifan loves you. Zitao loves you. It’s ok. I love you _.”

Minseok grabbed Luhan’s hand, and it squeezed around his in a death grip as all his muscles tensed. He let out a wail, and jerked again in Minseok’s hold.

“_Luhan, it’s ok. You’re ok. I’m here, and I love you. I love you so much, so so much.” _

Luhan’s bloodshot round eyes stared up at Minseok, as he coughed blood across the clear face shield of Minseok’s suit. His shaking slowed, and then stopped entirely.

“_You’re safe, I love you. I love you. I love you_.”

He laid Luhan down gently, and went to grab his gun.

**XIV.**

When someone came pounding at the office door, Minseok assumed it was the doctor, who had undoubtedly heard the gunshot. But, Zitao and Yifan busted through the door, quickly closing and locking it behind them.

“Fuck, what are we gonna do?” Zitao cried, and Yifan just shook his head.

“I have no idea. I didn’t -- this wasn’t supposed to happen.” He saw Luhan’s body and paled. Minseok had covered it with a blanket, already. They didn't need to see him like that. “None of this was supposed to happen!”

“Minseok,” Zitao called softly, grabbing the man’s attention. He lowered his voice before continuing. “Someone else was infected, the place is getting overrun. What should we do?”

Minseok just looked back at Luhan. “He was right.”

“What are you talking about?”

“This world belongs to the dead now,” he quoted. “We’re just living in it.”

Yifan yelled. “That’s not true, and you know it! We just need to find a way out and fast.”

“But what if it is?” Minseok asked, staring him down. “What if it’s just a matter of time until we’re all dead?”

Yifan stared right back. “Then we go out with a bang, not cowering in a room and starving to death. I don’t want that, I doubt Zitao or you want that, and I _ know _ Luhan wouldn’t want that or he would have never left his house when this all started.”

Zitao took a deep breath. He was visibly terrified, shaking and on the verge of tears, but shock and adrenaline held him together. “Out with a bang, for Luhan.”

“C’mon Minseok. We have to try. For ourselves, and for Luhan.”

_ He was right_, no matter how much Minseok hated it. He just wanted to wither up in a ball by Luhan’s side, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t disappoint Luhan like that.

He stripped his hazmat suit, and grabbed his gun.

“Oh, thank god,” Yifan sighed, and so did Zitao. They both pulled out their own weapons and looked out the window once. Nothing was roaming the halls. _ Yet. _

“_I l__ove you, Luhan, _” Minseok whispered, one more time, before coming up behind Zitao and Yifan. They pushed the door open and filed out.

They all stared down a different hallway, back-to-back. Minseok felt a wave of deja vu. _ Three survivors, just like always_. 

Quickly, the sounds of dragging feet and growls echoed, and they all took their stances.

Zitao fired a bullet, and Minseok was quick to follow. The infected fell like flies as the three spread out, knowing that between them they didn’t have enough bullets -- but they did have determination and a will to live. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough.

“If this _ is _ their world now,” Yifan yelled, as the dead descended upon them. _“Let’s make it a living hell."_

**Author's Note:**

> well, that was big ouchie am i right? i hope u all enjoyed even if u cried like me :'>
> 
> here are some little facts about the fic below 
> 
> \- if u've seen the show containment,,, u know what /that/ scene was about :>  
\- xiuchen def dated in the past ok i don't make the ru l es  
\- so like i didn't want the fic to start right at the quarantine bc No Buildup but i made the romance kind of officially start there, bc that still fit the prompt! i hope it didn't seem too different from what you guys (and the prompter) were expecting !!
> 
> anyway, pls lmk what u all thought !!


End file.
